Jen on the Swim Bike Run

Abandoning my 2011 Quadrathlon

I hate to admit defeat.  But the white flag has gone up and I surrender.  I cannot do it all.  I thought I could hold onto my one triathlon race of the season but yesterday I finally realized that as a new, first-time mom, I'm actually in quadrathlon training (the swim, bike, run, raise a baby) and my training is decidedly and appropriately lopsided.  So I'm out for this season.

Joining the local triathlon community and racing last year was a life-changing experience for me.  I've never trained with such focus and intensity for an athletic goal in my life and I learned that I could do it.  But looking back on it I realize that it really consumed me.  In a good way, but friends will remember all I talked about, dreamed about, worried about was my swim stroke.  I still worry about my swim stroke but the same drive that had me in the pool 4 days a week (as well as running and cycling 3-4 days a week) has been redirected to my infant son.  Try as I might (and God knows I still need to work on my swim) I just can't maintain that focus on both at this time.  Things will change in the fall when Timmy goes into childcare a few days a week.

Until then, I'm just going to swim, bike and run for the "fun of it".  Not that it wasn't fun before, I'm just removing the race pressure.  If I can find a road race that works with my schedule--great.  If not, no sweat.  The key will be to keep getting out there without the race goal motivation.

But don't be surprised if you see me volunteering at athlete check in at the 70.3 or working a water station on some local road race--I still want to cheer on all of the amazing folks racing this season.  You just may see me, with Timmy in the baby jogger or on my back--grinning ear to ear and anticipating the 2012 season.

Thinking over the 2011 Race Schedule

I actually began planning my 2011 race schedule just days after the Iron Girl Tri back in August.  I was still feeling the endorphins from my first triathlon so let's just say...that first list was long.  But now that I've signed up for my base-training program which begins in January, its time to nail this down.

These are what I'd call my "key races".   I plan to do some local 5ks and similar distances to keep me motivated through the early spring but I'm really excited about the idea of racing one tri a month--mostly sprints ending the season with an international distance race.  (Yeah I know there's Syracuse 70.3 but I'm not sure I'm ready to jump into that distance and the training time it requires.) 

While I feel like this schedule is nailed down, there will need to be some flexibility.  (This is where I think sitting down with a coach would pay dividends.)  For instance, running the Boilermaker 15k a week before a sprint tri may not be the way to go.  But I figure the taper for sprints is minimal and if my season starts with a 13.1 race my conditioning should be fine to recover from 9.3 miles in time for a sprint race--probably won't do the mini-race at Jamesville Beach that week.

So in mid January I'll begin the 10-week Fleet Feet Winter Conditioning Program that will have me doing tri-specific swim and bike (indoor) workouts each week.  I'll spend most of January working on my swim though.  I'll be working with Coach Kim on Total Immersion technique over the next 4 weeks and then swimming my little heart out for the month of January.  Half marathon training begins in February. 

As for the rest of December--I've got two goals: 

1.  Hold steady on comparatively easy training through the busy holiday season (which means, continue with 1 weekly indoor cycling workout, 1 swim session, 2 runs and 1 strength training session) and

2.  Stay healthy and rested so that I can kick it into gear come mid January. 

It's looking to be a great year!

2011 Race Schedule

Big Lake Half-Marathon (New Hampshire) May 7

Green Lakes Triathlon (this is a maybe, depends on date) June

Boilermaker 15k (Utica) July 10

Mini Mussel Sprint Triathlon (Geneva) July 16

Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon (Syracuse) August 7

Finger Lakes Triathlon International Distance (Canandaigua) September 11